Attraction of nocturnally migrating birds to artificial light: The influence of colour, intensity and blinking mode under different cloud cover conditions

Rebke, Maren; Dierschke, Volker; Weiner, Christiane N.; Aumüller, Ralf; Hill, Katrin; Hill, Reinhold

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.02.029

Cited by 34 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Furthermore, the episodic nature of mass stranding events is also problematic for monitoring, detection, and assessing impact. For both species, there is an urgent need to investigate whether changing light characteristics (e.g., intensity, wavelength) of required lighting would reduce stranding rates as has been documented in other avian species (Salamolard et al 2007, Poot et al 2008, Rodríguez et al 2017a, Rebke et al 2019. Furthermore, understanding what intrinsic factors lead to the behavior of seabirds flying toward illuminated coastal and inland sites is integral for effective mitigation.…”

Section: Management Implications and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of land-based light pollution on two species of burrow-nesting seabirds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Wilhelm¹,

Dooley²,

Corbett³

et al. 2021

ACE

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This study examines the occurrence and underlying factors of onshore strandings of two species of seabirds breeding in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) are found stranded in coastal communities bordering the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in artificially lit areas. Between 2011 and 2020, 3845 recently fledged puffins were found during nightly searches. Counts of puffins found per night were related to the phase of the moon, with the fewest birds found around the full moon. Mean annual body mass of pufflings was positively associated with annual recovery rates, providing a non-intrusive approach to monitor inter-annual productivity at the colony. Using two approaches to estimate population impacts of strandings, we estimate that < 0.2% of fledging chicks were attracted to lights emitted from coastal communities. Despite bordering two of the largest Leach's Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) colonies in Newfoundland, this species was rarely observed stranded in the Witless Bay area. Rather, most of the 1903 stranded storm-petrels reported in 2018 and 2019 were found on industrial properties bordering, or inland of, Conception Bay, at minimal distances of 25 km inland from the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Most storm-petrels were recently fledged juveniles. Strandings were less likely to occur around the full moon. Neither strong nor persistent winds were observed during nights of large stranding events, however, these nights tended to have winds coming from the north, suggesting that stranded storm-petrels fledged from Baccalieu Island, located at the mouth of Conception Bay and hosting the largest colony in the world. Stronger mitigation measures to avoid and minimize light emittance, as well as research investigating light characteristics to reduce attraction, are urgently needed to decrease unnecessary strandings, particularly for the Leach's Storm-Petrel, recently assessed as Threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Effets de la pollution lumineuse terrestre sur deux espèces d'oiseaux marins nichant dans des terriers en Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, CanadaRÉSUMÉ. Cette étude porte sur l'occurrence et les facteurs sous-jacents l'échouement terrestre de deux espèces d'oiseaux marins nichant en Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador, au Canada. Les Macareux moines (Fratercula arctica) sont retrouvés échoués dans des communautés côtières bordant la réserve écologique de Witless Bay, aux endroits éclairés artificiellement. Entre 2011 et 2020, 3845 macareux ayant récemment pris leur envol ont été trouvés lors de recherches nocturnes. Le nombre de macareux trouvés par nuit était lié à la phase de la lune; il était à son minimum autour de la pleine lune. La masse corporelle annuelle moyenne des jeunes macareux était positivement associée au taux de récupération annuel, fournissant une approche non-intrusive pour surveiller la productivité interannuelle de la colonie. Au moyen de deux approches pour estimer les impacts des échouements sur la population, nous avo...

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Section: Management Implications and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of land-based light pollution on two species of burrow-nesting seabirds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Wilhelm¹,

Dooley²,

Corbett³

et al. 2021

ACE

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show abstract

“…Our results provide evidence that low sea surface artificial light irradiances caused by sky glow from cities can result in biologically important exposure levels in seafloor habitats. Cloud cover amplifies the propagation of sky glow, a known effect particularly in urban areas 26 which can disrupt migration undertaken in cloudy conditions in birds 27 and amphipod crustacean 28 and is more likely in temperature region/regions further away from the equator. Artificial sky glow extends the geographical influence of localised direct lighting to hundreds of kilometres 29 , suggesting that impacts on marine organisms may be widespread, and urgently need quantifying.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biologically important artificial light at night on the seafloor

Davies

McKee

Fishwick

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Accelerating coastal development is increasing the exposure of marine ecosystems to nighttime light pollution, but is anthropogenic light reaching the seafloor in sufficient quantities to have ecological impacts? Using a combination of mapping, and radiative transfer modelling utilising in situ measurements of optical seawater properties, we quantified artificial light exposure at the sea surface, beneath the sea surface, and at the sea floor of an urbanised temperate estuary bordered by an LED lit city. Up to 76% of the three-dimensional seafloor area was exposed to biologically important light pollution. Exposure to green wavelengths was highest, while exposure to red wavelengths was nominal. We conclude that light pollution from coastal cities is likely having deleterious impacts on seafloor ecosystems which provide vital ecosystem services. A comprehensive understanding of these impacts is urgently needed.

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“…These sources, which can be lighthouses (40), monuments (41), or skyscrapers (42), are estimated to lead to billions of bird deaths a year (43). Steady lights-like the one in our study-can be particularly attractive and thus disorienting for migrating birds (44).…”

Section: Neck Angle Gives Effective Gust Feedback and Scales Favorablmentioning

confidence: 90%

How lovebirds maneuver through lateral gusts with minimal visual information

Quinn

Kress

Chang

et al. 2019

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Flying birds maneuver effectively through lateral gusts, even when gust speeds are as high as flight speeds. What information birds use to sense gusts and how they compensate is largely unknown. We found that lovebirds can maneuver through 45° lateral gusts similarly well in forest-, lake-, and cave-like visual environments. Despite being diurnal and raised in captivity, the birds fly to their goal perch with only a dim point light source as a beacon, showing that they do not need optic flow or a visual horizon to maneuver. To accomplish this feat, lovebirds primarily yaw their bodies into the gust while fixating their head on the goal using neck angles of up to 30°. Our corroborated model for proportional yaw reorientation and speed control shows how lovebirds can compensate for lateral gusts informed by muscle proprioceptive cues from neck twist. The neck muscles not only stabilize the lovebirds’ visual and inertial head orientations by compensating low-frequency body maneuvers, but also attenuate faster 3D wingbeat-induced perturbations. This head stabilization enables the vestibular system to sense the direction of gravity. Apparently, the visual horizon can be replaced by a gravitational horizon to inform the observed horizontal gust compensation maneuvers in the dark. Our scaling analysis shows how this minimal sensorimotor solution scales favorably for bigger birds, offering local wind angle feedback within a wingbeat. The way lovebirds glean wind orientation may thus inform minimal control algorithms that enable aerial robots to maneuver in similar windy and dark environments.

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Attraction of nocturnally migrating birds to artificial light: The influence of colour, intensity and blinking mode under different cloud cover conditions

Cited by 34 publications

References 26 publications

Effects of land-based light pollution on two species of burrow-nesting seabirds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Effects of land-based light pollution on two species of burrow-nesting seabirds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Biologically important artificial light at night on the seafloor

How lovebirds maneuver through lateral gusts with minimal visual information

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